Indonesia calls for extension of 4-month old Bosnia truce
Indonesia calls for extension of 4-month old Bosnia truce
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia yesterday called on all sides
embroiled in the civil war in the former Yugoslav republic of
Bosnia-Herzegovina to extend a four-month old truce which has
since expired.
"Indonesia, as chairman of NAM (the Non-Aligned Movement),
wishes to continue to appeal to all sides concerned to extend the
cease-fire for a period, based on mutually agreed conditions,"
Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono said yesterday.
Moerdiono added that an extension of the truce would
contribute considerably to the creation of an atmosphere
conducive to the achievement of a final and just solution to the
conflict.
Despite a last ditch effort by United Nations special envoy
Yasushi Akashi on Sunday, both Bosnian Prime Minister Haris
Silajdzic and Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic refused to
move from their position of opposition to an extension of the
cease-fire, which each had already stated previously.
The fragile truce was established on Dec. 31, 1994. Many
observers now fear that, without the truce, a full scale war will
erupt in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
"The President noted the concern within the international
community about the possibility of an increase in hostilities
between the parties involved," Moerdiono said, referring to
Indonesia's President Soeharto.
"The President also noted the disappointment among the parties
involved about the cease-fire's failure to produce a political
solution and the peace they so desired, and that, thus, they
rejected an extension of the cease-fire," he said.
Moerdiono reasserted Indonesia's readiness to help find a
solution to the crisis, especially given the support expressed by
several NAM members during last week's Ministerial Meeting of the
NAM Coordinating Bureau in Bandung, West Java, for Jakarta's
efforts.
During a brief stop in the former Yugoslav republic in March,
President Soeharto put forward a plan for a comprehensive
solution to the crisis, with Indonesia playing the role of
facilitator.
"Indonesia, as chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement, feels
further driven by the support given by the member countries,"
Moerdiono said.
"The President, after being informed about this by the Foreign
Minister, expressed his appreciation and repeated Indonesia's
preparedness to help," he said .(mds)